What the Future Holds
by TheRanger101
Summary: This is a Lone Ranger Adventure told from Dan Reid's perspective. The Ranger tells Dan it's time for him to think about going to school back east, but Dan doesn't really agree at all. When they find a burned out ranch and a dying man Dan must over look the rift in he and the Rangers relationship to save a beautiful woman.


Dan Reid legacy story

The morning seemed to be going the way most mornings had, Tonto was the first one up, so he would get the coffee going. The Ranger was the up next, he would go to feed and check on the horses, If I wasn't up by the time he got back he would call to me; "Dan, its day light, time to get up!" I would get up then, I didn't want to find out what would happen if I disobeyed him. Once he saw that I was up, he bent over the fire poured himself a cup of coffee. "It tastes good Tonto." "Breakfast will be ready soon Kemosaby."

"Good" "You said that already, what's on your mind?" "Hug? Oh, nothing Tonto." "There's something on it." Mornings were usually very quiet, and if there was talk it was how to handle trails, outlaws, horses, and maybe bad weather, but something that sounded like small talk at first, whish if I had thought about it was strange coming from the Ranger, was turning into something else, Tonto was having none of it. "Yeah what's on your mind, Uncle?" I pressed him, if there was going to be more adventure ahead, I wanted to know about it. The Ranger sighed and said. "lets first have breakfast before we discuss anything further." I looked at Tonto for any kind of hint, but he was putting bacon and corn meal mush onto tin plates.

"Dan." He began just as breakfast was finishing up. "We need to talk about your future, and what you'll be needing to do to prepare for it." "Well, what about it?" I glanced again at Tonto, but he was watching the Ranger to see what he would say next. "Dan, you're a very fine young man, who is intelligent, strong, and confident. You still have some growing to do, but I don't think its best for you to do the rest of your growing here, but there's a school in the East - " I cute him off so fast my plate flew into the dirt. "Your not sending me away are you!?" "Dan, please hear me out, this school will give you the things you need to know to live in the future of the new west that is coming." "New west!" I cried. "The west will never be rid of outlaws, bandits, robbers, and criminals, as long as there is greed and injustice, they will always be here, so the west will always need its lawmen and its Lone Ranger!" "Dan, calm down!" He said in a raised voice. "I didn't say that the outlaws would be completely gone, but the west is changing , its becoming more civilized and less of a frontier. So for you to be better prepared for it I believe its best for you to seek a higher education." He was intent, looking me straight in the eye. "The next generation must be prepared to in every way to meet what's ahead, the west wont always be a place where gun slingers meet on the towns main street at high noon to shoot it out, it'll be different, and even now its getting harder to find or think of a place where the town is wide open for that kind of lawlessness." "I wasn't thinking of becoming a gunslinger, I just want to be like you and Tonto , or a Texas Ranger like my Father, but you don't need to go to college for that, I can learn all I need to know about being a lawman from you and Tonto!" I was feeling all kind of mixed up somehow, I loved and trusted my uncle, but I also liked how things were working out so far, and leaving to go to some unknown place in the east where all those silly, tenderfeet came from didn't seem to be the best way somehow. The Ranger sighed and shook his head a bit. "It may be too much to spring on you right now, but your growing so fast that its not easy to say when one should start thinking or talking about these things." Finally Tonto spoke up. "Maybe we should let Dan think it over." My uncle nodded in agreement. "Yes Dan, think about what I've said, and we'll talk about it some more later." "Well, all right, but this doesn't mean I'm going to college in the east for certain tough."

We broke camp and started to ride out toward the south, I was feeling kind of surly inside, but outside I did as I was told to do without complaint or a harsh glance at the Ranger or Tonto's back. I really wondered what Tonto thought, but his silence suggested that he agreed with my Uncle. But when I look back now I guess Tonto knew better than to get in between me and the Ranger my only kin, although I respected him as much as I respected my Uncle, and looked to him for guidance, there were a few times he seemed to back away from my Uncle and I, and let whatever it was between us work itself out. But there were also times when I backed off some to let them work thing out between them that I didn't have the right to interfere with either, but still at the time I wished I had someone on 'my side.'

Victor's stiffing gate brought me back into reality, the Ranger made a sign, to rein up, Tonto scanned the horizon.

"There, Kemosaby, dark smoke cloud."

"Com' On!"

We rode at full speed toward the smoke as we got closer I began to make out the remains of a building, chard posts and burned rubble, No there were several buildings, I could see now, above it all the lone chimney of the main house.

My Uncle just got ahead of us by moments and was down off of his horse and was looking closely at what seemed to be a dead man in the 'back' of the main house.

As I reined in Victor the man began to move an moan as my Uncle began to gently examine him and his wounds, Tonto was at the injured man side with out medical kit.

"Dan, bring your canteen." I followed the Ranger's direction.

As the man drank Tonot looked a wound in the mans chest, Tonto and the Ranger exchanged a glance.

"Who did this to you?" asked the Ranger.

"Wh-what was that?"

"What happened here?"

"R-Riders...J-Jim Beals gang."

"Do you know why they were here?"

"The woman." The man began to cough, I tried to give him some more water from my canteen but he wont take it.

"To late fer' *cough* that son."

"Who is this woman you speak of?" asked Tonto

"S-she's Creek, Miss Belle Creek." The man began to fade back.

"Beautiful, beautiful woman, fine, g-good and..." He died then and the Ranger put him down and closed his eyes.

"So they kidnapped someone." I said

"Yes Dan, it would seem they did." said the Ranger.

"All this mess for one woman."

"Its happened before you start to dig the grave, while Kemosaby and I study their tracks."

The Ranger and Tonto had picked up the trail, so we rode it for miles without saying much of anything, only to comment on the tracks and how they appeared.

"The horses are shoed."

"Yes, and they travel fast."

"Heading south."

"South west."

We rode until sunset, and the tracks still indicated the riders hadn't slowed their by much and they had changed their direction several times, now it was getting harder to see, Tonto reined up and we did likewise.

"I think I know where they are going."

"Where are they going then, Tonto?"

"There are two or three places they may be going to, taking a woman is very bad, so they must not be seen or followed."

"Where does that leave us?" I asked not sure I liked the way this adventure was going.

"If they do not wish to be seen they will go along the desert trail, few go there for it is too hot to travel in the day and there are not many water holes, the longest part of the trail could be traveled by night and they could make it to the canyons by mid morning. They would have to rest there horses, or have fresh ones waiting." Tonto spoke as he seemed to picture the trails in his mind as he went over the details. The Ranger then spoke. "We would have to hurry if we're going to catch up with them."

"Kemosaby, if we catch up with these men, our horses will be very tired, then we will have no choice but to fight them, we see what them do to farm, and maybe we see what them do to woman..." At this Tonto trailed off and glanced my way, I responded; "I don't care what they do to me, we just have to do something, we're the only ones on this trail and if we don't follow it and help, then something will happen to her!"

The Ranger set his jaw and looked down so the brim of his hat hid his eyes from us. After a long pause he looked up and said in his most determined and grim way; "Tonto and I will follow the trail and see what we find at the end of it, and if there's anything that be done to help this lady - "

"But, Sir, I - " "Let me finish Dan!" I stopped, and looked down so they couldn't see my eyes now. "Now then, you will go to the McPherson Ranch, and stay there until Tonto and I come for you." I wanted to be with the Ranger and Tonto now more than ever, I want to prove I could keep up with them and didn't need to be sent away, to anywhere.

"But won't you need some extra help, it's a large gang of men, you'll need every gun and fist you can spare." I looked up then trying to look as strong and steady as I could.

"No Dan, its not as simple as that, there are things in this case that are that could go very wrong, even if Tonto and I intervene there still may be things we can't help or undo."

"He's right Dan, even though we are men, there are still many things we don't know how to handle ourselves, its best you go to ranch and wait for us there."

Tonto put his hand on my shoulder in an assuring jester, I still wanted to go so I said;

"Alright, I'll go to the ranch, and wait for you two there."

'That's very good of you Dan."

"We will see in a day or so, if we do not come to ranch by then, you come and look for us."

My Uncle and Tonto headed into the darkening desert, I for a time rode toward the McPherson ranch but then turned Victor into the desert.

That night there was a full moon and one could see everything as though it was day light. It felt wonderful and awful at the same time, wonderful to be on my own, and awful because I had disobeyed the Ranger and Tonto. I put most of the unpleasant part out of my head and kept riding on, thinking how I could unexpectedly drop in on the outlaws, just when they thought they had only the Ranger and Tonto to deal with. I rode a bit slower so as not to catch up with the two ahead of me, I rode all night feeling drowsy at times, after all I had been riding all day and had dug a grave... Oh! I almost fell off Victor that time! The sunrise wasn't far off and the sky was brightening. Sunrise became morning and I began to feel hotter by the minuet. Victor was tired too, we had to keep moving though.

I began to make out great rock formations ahead. "Those must be the canyons Tonto spoke of." I said to Victor. We finally came to a watering hole that seemed more like a puddle, I read the tracks of many horses and riders here, I recognized the Ranger and Tonto's tracks as well as Silver and Scouts prints. "They must have stopped here Victor."

After that I kept going toward the rock face, the sun was very hot now and I saw where the Ranger and Tonto had veered off the trail toward...

"Hands up boy!"

"What the!?"

I was taken by surprise and feeling dumb now for letting myself get caught.

"Now then, suppose you tell me what would make you ride a nice horse like that over a desert trail?" A man was now visible to me, he stood about 5 feet tall was slim but strong looking, he had dark brown hair and gray eyes, his rifle was pointed straight at my chest.

"Well, Mister, I was hunting and got turned around, sorry if I startled you, could you point me in the direction of the McPherson ranch?"

I was hoping a bluff would work, it seemed to make the man lower his rifle just a bit.

"Hunting Hung?"

"Yes, that's right, it got so dark so that I couldn't see to well."

"Go straight back the way you came turn left at the fork toward the strip of green on the horizon, you cant miss the place."

"Thank you, much obliged."

No sooner had I turned and head for the desert then a sudden crack and pain sent me into darkness.

I awaken to the heat, my first thought was of water and the canteen tided to Victors saddle, but I didn't see him anywhere. I was in a miserable state, wounded, thirsty, and alone, the heat could kill me in minutes if not hours. I crawled into the shade of some brush but I would need water or something if I was going to last the day out. I must have pasted out again, for I remember waking up the sun a little lower then it had been before. I was feeling sick, my mouth and skin felt like paper, I thought I heard voices from somewhere, then I was sick.

"See, under that bush, there is someone there!" It was a woman's voice.

"Shut up! he's probably done for anyway!"

"Haven't you done enough killing already?!" The woman's voice was hard and next to me now.

"Hey, that's the kid I caught snooping around." "Get back on your horse Miss. Creek, we're moving out and we haven't got time to be nursing snoops!" I felt a hand on my shoulder and then heard her voice. "There now, take it easy, your very ill and hurt too." She turned me on my side and looked at my back, just then one of the outlaws was looking down at us. "Get on your feet we're moving out!" "This boy needs someone to look after him otherwise he'll die." "He's going to die anyway lady, as soon as Bickford finishes his job!" "Please don't, let me look after him!" Then she added thoughtfully. "It'll be something to keep my mind off of escaping from you." This gave the outlaw pause but then; "No sorry miss, you'll just have to travel with us, Now get - " he was cut short by a gunshot and all the outlaws scattered, shooting wildly at whatever had discovered them. The big outlaw that had been talking to Miss. Creek lay flat on his back dead and Miss. Creek had thrown herself over me and kept low. The other outlaws now started their horses running to getaway from the accurate fire.

I came to again Tonto was patching me up the sun was even lower and the Ranger was talking fast. "As soon as Dan's wounds have been bandaged we'll need to head for high ground, it won't take those outlaws long to get reorganized, so we must have a place where we can defend ourselves and signal for help." "What of this boy, doesn't he need a doctor?" "We'll have to do the best we can Miss. Creek he's young and Tonto can be as good as any doctor." Victor had been with the outlaws but had broken away from them in the confusion, Miss. Creek rode him while I rode in front of the Ranger, I was too weak to keep myself on a horse. "I'm – I'm s-sorry Sir, for – " The Ranger cut my apology off. "We'll talk about that later, you need to get some rest first." I drifted in and out while we rode along a rocky trail, until we came to a place where I slipped off Silvers back into Tonto's arms I can't remember anything after that.

"How long have I been out." I asked Tonto when I woke up, it was dark and a camp fire burned low. "Two days, you've been very sick, how you feel?" "Tired, what's happened in that time Tonto?" "We've kept the outlaws away, they're afraid, but they try to wear us down so they won't have to fight us head on, they want us to be weak, then they can take us easy." "Isn't there any help coming?" "I don't know we have signaled to Standing Bear he has not answered us." "How's The Ranger?" "He keeps watch tonight, and he is alright." "Is he really mad at me for disobeying him?" "You didn't just disobey us, you lied to us, and because you do these foolish things you almost died, that hurt us much more than anything else you could have done." Tonto's words were sharp and hurt, but after all that they had been through these last two days the last thing they needed to worry about was a sick boy, and his silly notions of "helping" them. "Tonto." I began. "Yes Dan." "I'm sorry for lying to you, for disobeying you, and for all the other trouble I caused you." Tonto nodded in agreement. "You will have to also apologias to Kemosaby." "I know, that may be harder." "Have you thought about the school in the East?" "No, not that much." "You've not had too much time to think, you get some rest now." Tonto put a few more pieces of wood on the fire I could now see Miss. Creek across the fire now sleeping under a blanket, it looked like one of the Rangers. "Tonto, I forgot to ask you how is Miss. Creek?" "She is fine and sleeping which is what you need to be doing." So I did."How long have I been out." I asked Tonto when I woke up, it was dark and a camp fire burned low. "Two days, you've been very sick, how you feel?" "Tired, what's happened in that time Tonto?" "We've kept the outlaws away, they're afraid, but they try to wear us down so they won't have to fight us head on, they want us to be weak, then they can take us easy." "Isn't there any help coming?" "I don't know we have signaled to Standing Bear he has not answered us." "How's The Ranger?" "He keeps watch tonight, and he is alright." "Is he really mad at me for disobeying him?" "You didn't just disobey us, you lied to us, and because you do these foolish things you almost died, that hurt us much more than anything else you could have done." Tonto's words were sharp and hurt, but after all that they had been through these last two days the last thing they needed to worry about was a sick boy, and his silly notions of "helping" them. "Tonto." I began. "Yes Dan." "I'm sorry for lying to you, for disobeying you, and for all the other trouble I caused you." Tonto nodded in agreement. "You will have to also apologias to Kemosaby." "I know, that may be harder." "Have you thought about the school in the East?" "No, not that much." "You've not had too much time to think, you get some rest now." Tonto put a few more pieces of wood on the fire I could now see Miss. Creek across the fire now sleeping under a blanket, it looked like one of the Rangers. "Tonto, I forgot to ask you how is Miss. Creek?" "She is fine and sleeping which is what you need to be doing." So I did.

Miss. Belle Creek had been hired to work as a cook on a ranch, I was to learn from her that morning. "I grew up in a Mining Community in eastern Texas and helped my mother to run a cafe while my father worked at the mine." She told me as she boiled coffee and cooked the corn meal over the fire. "When my father was killed in the mines and the mines began too peter out the cafe didn't do that much business, so when my mother fell ill and died, I looked for other prospects, I had some suitors who offered to marry me and take care of me if I would just come to their farm or ranch and be their wife. But none of these men suited me very well so I heard about this job, and came out and got it. "For the next several months I was happy and doing well, all except for this man who we thought was an outlaw, but he didn't bother me or any of the other hands, he would ride here and there and water his horses on his way to someplace, but we never thought he would raid the ranch. "He took a liking to me and my cooking and would stop and talk to me, and just two weeks ago he offered to marry me, but I refused since I couldn't imagine him settling down, he rode off in a huff making threats against the world, he came back of course now I realize he meat what he said - " She broke off and sat for a moment not speaking. "If only I hadn't come, if only I had taken one of those other offers those other men might still be alive, and you won't be here in this place." I felt bad for her, and didn't know what to say to her, but then there was gunfire coming from the trail, she and I went to help.

The Ranger was returning fire and Tonto at his side they were both doing their best to keep the charging outlaws back. I came up to the Ranger's side and added my gunfire to the fight. "You should be back there!" called the Ranger over the gun fire. "There seems to be more outlaws then there was before." "It's a very large gang Dan, their leader wants Miss. Creek to be his bride!" "I know about that, how much longer can you and Tonto hold out?" "Long enough!" With that Tonto suddenly fell back. "Tonto!" The Ranger was now at his side looking at a wound in Tonto's chest. I drew the outlaws fire while the Ranger who looked pale, and concerned examined him. Miss. Creek looked at Tonto and then the Ranger, I thought it looked like she was going to cry. "Please, let me go and ask them to let you and your friends go and I'll go with them peacefully." The Ranger shook his head at this the shooting had died down and the outlaws for the time being, seemed to be retreating. "We should get the bleeding stopped, and then we'll see about our next move."

Tonto was still breathing, but he was still unconscious and this bothered the Ranger. The wound was bad and I saw how tired and drawn the Ranger now looked, without Tonto to lean on he was really alone in this fight it seemed to him. The food was running low as were bandages and medicine, the grass the horses had been grazing on was gone near the back of the camp, and most of the fuel for a fire was almost gone as well, only the spring where we got our water was the only thing that was not about to run out. The Ranger sat next to Tonto and stared for a time at the dying fire and then spoke; "We'll signal Standing Bear one more time, and if nothing happens, we'll surrender to the outlaws." "I'll keep watch on the trail sir." "That's fine, Dan." "I'll gather what's left of the wood." Volunteered Miss. Creek. "Very well I'll also see what else there is here that we can burn." The Ranger and Miss. Creek made one great fire, that seemed to make the outlaws charge again. The Ranger and I were firing back at them I had to make my apology now before something else happened. "I'm sorry Sir." "Sorry, what?" "I'm sorry about everything!" "Oh, That's alright, Dan it takes a big man to admit when he's been wrong." "Also I've been thinking." "About what?" "About school in the east!" "That well, this might not be the time to talk about it." Another outlaw fell from one of my bullets, I didn't quiet have the Rangers no kill policy, With this they fell back again. "Do you think it's a better time now?" A moan came from someone. "I think he's waking up." It was Miss. Creek who was bent over Tonto. The Ranger was at the his wounded friends side, I would have to talk to him about some other time. "Kemosaby." "Tonto." "Standing Bear, where's he?" "He's not here yet, Tonto, we've signaled him again, he should know what's happening by now." "You - need r-rest." "You're the one who needs to take it easy now, Tonto, you're in no condition to be even talking, now you rest." I sat there watching the trail and listening to the Ranger as he talked, then he pulled the blankets close around Tonto then turned, to Miss. Creek who was watching and listening as well. "He's right, you know, you do look tired and worn out." The Ranger didn't argue with her. "I'll lie down for awhile, just let me know about anything when it happens." "I will." "Don't hesitate for one moment to wake me Miss. Creek!" "I won't." "Do you hear me Dan, don't hesitate to wake me the moment anything happens!" "I won't hesitate sir." With that he finally laid down and slept.

Miss Creek brought me some coffee and cold corn bread, there was no fire now and it was dark and cold. "I'm glad he's still sleeping." she said quietly. "He's been so worried about so many things these last few days, all on my account, the least he can do is get some rest." "Well it hasn't been all on your account, its also because I didn't listen to him when I should have, so I got into this mess and added to it considerable, at least you were at your job when outlaws kidnapped you, I was where I shouldn't have been when I was shot and left for dead." "Well I suppose boys and their fathers are bound to have trouble to work out between themselves." "What? Oh, you don't think we're related?" "Oh, I'm sorry, you see when I saw how concerned he was for you when you were ill I thought, well are you alone then, no parents?" "Yes, my parents are dead too, like yours, the Ranger and Tonto are looking after me until..." I trailed off wondering now about my future. "Until he finds someone who can take care of you?" "Well he was thinking of sending me to school back east." "That's wonderful, that he would consider that for you, how very generous!" "Yes, it is." I was feeling uneasy, she was friendly, kind, and attractive, one could get to like and trust her easily. There was then a scream, and then war whoops from somewhere in the dark. "Standing Bear!" I breathed. The Ranger was up now and at my side with guns drawn. The outlaws were startled and scared trapped between the Indians and us. "Throw down your guns and surrender!" My Uncle Thundered. The outlaws gave up and surrendered. My Uncle went out to meet Standing Bear the fight was over we could leave now.

At the McPherson ranch Tonto recovered and Miss. Creek was taken on as their cook. Mr. McPherson a widower was enjoying the cooking and the way Miss. Creek cheered things up. "I tell yah' Ranger." He was saying to my Uncle over our last breakfast there when Tonto was well again. "I've never seen one quiet like her, she's a fine woman, a real fine lady!" Tonto looked at me and grind, Miss. Creek had found a new home and maybe her man, but women are hard to figure I think. "Sir." I addressed the Ranger. "Yes, Dan." "What school were you thinking about sending me to?" He smiled, and said. "There are a few I had in mind, of course it's up to you which one you want to look over and attend." So the rest you know, I visited them and kept fighting injustice long after the west settled down and became civilized, I found later on with my English Major and my news paper I could fight outlaws, and gangsters just as well, coupled with what the Ranger and Tonto had taught me.

So we rode form the McPherson Ranch with Miss. Creek waving to us and the Ranger crying:

"Hi-Yo-Silver! Away!"


End file.
